Mastering Mingling

As Chair of the Events Sub Committee for Jersey Branch of IoD, I am delighted to introduce you to the art of networking, one of the most valuable skills for personal and professional growth in our society.

Networking is more than just exchanging business cards or attending events; it is about fostering genuine relationships that can lead to new opportunities, fresh perspectives, and lasting collaborations. Whether you are a seasoned leader or an emerging professional, mastering the art of networking can open doors, strengthen your influence, and enhance your ability to navigate the ever-evolving business landscape.

At Jersey IoD, we are committed to providing a platform where leaders and aspiring professionals can engage, share insights, and build relationships that matter. Through our events and initiatives, we aim to create an environment that encourages authentic conversations, facilitates knowledge sharing, and supports the growth of both individuals and businesses.

Understanding the key fundamental networking skills is vital wo make that lasting impression and to ensure that you are portraying “you” as the best profile for your business or organisation. Recently I have been delving into strategies of positioning oneself, the importance of eye contact and that all important handshake, which can make all the difference in a networking setting.

The positioning of yourself when you first enter a room of people may play havoc with your nerves but once you understand that most people feel the same, the approach can feel quite different. Closed and open positioning are relatively easy to identify, so always make a move to the person on their own or a duo who are not directly facing one another but are open to new people to join and introduce themselves. Approach with an open, confident posture with a gentle, warm expression as smiles go a long way in networking. Try and enjoy the opportunity to meet new people who could possibly open up doors to your business and more.

Networking environments encourage you to practice reading facial expressions, focusing on conversation and understanding the cues which very often get missed when remotely communicating. Effective communication with a direct gaze can gather cues, like emotional state.

Studies have shown that using the limbic mirror system it encourages our wonderful brains to generate the same neurons as with those we share eye contact with – if the other person’s eyes communicate joy, this in turn triggers the neurons in your brain to feel a sense of joy.  This is the essence of why person to person communication is so vital for our well-being and seems to have got lost through communicating remotely.

A technique called the Golden Triangle can give you a good starter to building your confidence with eye to eye contact - firstly look at one eye for a matter of three seconds, then move to observing the mouth for the same length of time and then back to the opposite eye for a further three seconds, all with a gentle expression, rather than a grimace. This demonstrates a mutual respect together with acknowledging their opinions, ideas and perspectives – giving them value!

Mastering the handshake technique has always been at the top of the agenda, as more often than not you experience a bad egg at any event. Always extend your RIGHT hand for a handshake as it is the standard practice, and further good practice is as follows:

A firm but not crushing grip, slight pressure, but not too hard married with a two to three pump handshake. This should consist of two or three up and down movements, lasting about two to three seconds, no longer. Always maintaining good eye contact and offering a natural smile conveys confidence and warmth with your introduction.
Try not to shake hands over a table or any obstacle, and do not shake hands sitting down (including if only one person is seated). Always rise to shake hands upon greeting or exiting and certainly don't walk across the room from afar with your hand out, but when two to three steps away from approaching the oncoming person.

Understanding just a few of the above techniques can be a valuable start to how you approach people confidently in the future without the dread – try and stay connected, be engaging and make networking a cornerstone of your business journey at every given opportunity.